New Rumor: Big Ten Offers Four to Join

[MikeIsGood]

Apparently as reported originally by a Kansas City, MO radio station, via Joe Schad on ESPN College Football Live, it's rumored that the Big Ten has made a formal offer to four teams that they are invited to join the conference. These four teams are Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Rutgers. The Big Ten was reached by reporters, though they declined to comment.

First thought: Another rumor, but ESPN is running with it this time from the get-go, FWIW.

Second thought: Notre Dame got another formal offer.

Third thought: Is this first-come, first-serve? Are all four welcome to join if they want to? That would leave us with another odd number of teams - 15. First three? Accept all four if they want in, then find a fifth?

[MikeIsGood]

Found a copy of the original report online ( Link ). It offers more information than was given on ESPN:

- Those four teams were (allegedly) offered. Essentially, there are two scenarios.
- Missouri and Nebraska are offered in either 14- or 16-team scenarios.
- If Notre Dame decides to remain independent, Rutgers would be the 14th team. The B10 would then decide whether to stand put, or look for two others.
- If Notre Dame accepts, and it seems under the assumption that all accept, an offer will be extended to a 16th team.

Also interesting...

In order for the University of Missouri to join the Big Ten, the Missouri Board of Regents will still have to approve the move. Sources close to the governing body say the Big Ten has told officials that Mizzou could add $1.3 million per month in revenue to the lucrative Big Ten Television Network. The Big Ten Network is currently offered on basic cable to very few of over 7 million residents living in Missouri television markets and adding it throughout the state will be a windfall for the conference.

Big Ten representatives have also told Missouri officials they would like to have the entire expansion process wrapped up this summer with a formal announcement coming no later than July.

[Ryan5UW]

No 16 teams!

I'm glad you found that number on the revenue increase Mizzou could expect. Everyone keeps talking about how Notre Dame has such a great thing going with their NBC contract, but nobody realizes how much of a money printing machine the BTN is.

[MikeIsGood]

They just said on SportsCenter than the offers were actually INformal. Nebraska said they weren't offered from anyone a chance to leave the B12, and said they will not say anything else or respond to any inquiries from now on until the B10 goes on record with something. Missouri, apparently, just offered a no comment.

[RiotPunch]

I just want this to come to fruition soon. I can't handle all of these rumors much longer, it is just making me care less.

[MikeIsGood]

When it all happens, it's going to be a hell of a ride. Everyone is essentially waiting to see what the B10 will ends up doing. Whoever we draw from is going to be in a mad dash to pick up replacements, and they'll of course be looking for as best of schools as possible. Then they'll be looking probably to make expansions of their own. Regardless of the fact (or likely fact) that the B10 won't be drawing from the SEC, depending on the size of a splash we make, they'll go into red-alert immediately because I think we all know damn-well they won't stand for being the conference that isn't talked about any more. If we were - purely hypothetical / in theory - to add the four schools (most notably of course Nebraska and Notre Dame), I assume there'll be talk about the Big Ten stealing some thunder from the SEC as far as being a football conference goes. So I then imagine they'd try their best to steal Texas/Oklahoma, or Miami/Florida State, and do whatever they can to re-bolster their numbers. Drawing from either without they drawing back will significantly hurt the conferences drawn from (that was a bit confusing). What will happen to these current major conferences if they can't support a good football group? Football is the real money maker and the driving factor. What would happen if ACC lost Miami, Florida State, Georgia Tech for example? You're left with a football conference worse than the Big East has been, but still respectable hoops. Would they lose an automatic BCS bid for football? And will these new super conferences start getting multiple automatic bids to get more of their good teams into BCS games and, if so, doesn't that defeat the purpose a bit of Conference Championships and why the B10 is expanding to 12+ in the first (or second) place? And I haven't really even talked about the Big East or Pac 10.

When/if this ever happens (I err on the side of when), it's going to be nuts.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Interesting stuff. I don't really mind this dragging out for a while. It nice having the Big Ten in the spot light and being talked about. I really can't wait to see what happens because like MIG said there is going to be a ripple effect across the nation. Colin Cowherd has said he has an inside source that said Utah is going to join the Pac-10, it's not a matter of if but when. And then it's assumed that Colorado would be the 12th team. Which could lead to the Big 12 adding a team like TCU to make up for Colorado departing.

[Ryan5UW]

I'm just glad we're the conference kind of driving this thing. I'd hate to be on the other side, wondering if one or two of our teams were going to get poached and then we have to scramble to add crappy programs like Iowa State or Minnesota to round out the conference.

[chuckleslove]

I'm just glad we're the conference kind of driving this thing. I'd hate to be on the other side, wondering if one or two of our teams were going to get poached and then we have to scramble to add crappy programs like Iowa State or Minnesota to round out the conference.

[mufan4life]

I'm just glad we're the conference kind of driving this thing. I'd hate to be on the other side, wondering if one or two of our teams were going to get poached and then we have to scramble to add crappy programs like Iowa State or Minnesota to round out the conference.

Minnesota is in our conference already bro.

[ReasonablySober]

I'm just glad we're the conference kind of driving this thing. I'd hate to be on the other side, wondering if one or two of our teams were going to get poached and then we have to scramble to add crappy programs like Iowa State or Minnesota to round out the conference.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I'm just glad we're the conference kind of driving this thing. I'd hate to be on the other side, wondering if one or two of our teams were going to get poached and then we have to scramble to add crappy programs like Iowa State or Minnesota to round out the conference.

Minnesota is in our conference already bro.

Minnesota is in the Big East?
I think he's implying Minne leaving to a different conference. Though I don't think he was being serious, it would make sense on at least some levels since we have an odd amount of teams if this rumor is true. It would bump it back down to 14.

[chuckleslove]

I think some of you missed his point. Maybe I am wrong about it but I'm pretty sure the reason he called Minnesota a garbage school is because of the poster right above him Maybe I'm reading too much into it but I thought it was a friendly jab at our resident Gopher fan

[MikeIsGood]

I'm pretty sure Ryan knows Minnesota is in the Big Ten

I think he was saying that it's nice the Big Ten is the one making these first moves and looking to add schools. On the other side of things, you'd hate to be a conference that makes the last move and have to look towards the schools no one wants like Iowa State or Minnesota (yes, a jab at the Gophers).

That was my interpretation.

[midranger]

Little known fact about Minnesota.

The original lyrics for On-Wis-con-sin were Min-ne-so-ta, Min-ne-so-ta. The songwriter was from Chicago, and stopped in Madison on his way to the Twin Cities. Unfortunately for the Goofs, we heard the song and immediately bought it on the spot. That's how it came to be that Wisconsin has one of the best college fight songs and Minnesota is Minnesota.

[MikeIsGood]

Wisconsin has one of the best college fight songs and Minnesota is Minnesota.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

I'm just glad we're the conference kind of driving this thing. I'd hate to be on the other side, wondering if one or two of our teams were going to get poached and then we have to scramble to add crappy programs like Iowa State or Minnesota to round out the conference.

Maybe Wisconsin will get a win against Minnesota in basketball next season.

[Mags FTW]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfIA7lhsSKs&feature=related[/youtube]



shhhhhhhhh

[trwi7]

I'm just glad we're the conference kind of driving this thing. I'd hate to be on the other side, wondering if one or two of our teams were going to get poached and then we have to scramble to add crappy programs like Iowa State or Minnesota to round out the conference.

Maybe Wisconsin will get a win against Minnesota in basketball next season.

Must be nice to hang your hat on three straight wins against us after we beat you 12 of the previous 13 games. Hold your head high.

At least you have football. Oh wait.

[chuckleslove]

You have to read this from the bottom up because it is from twitter and I'm too lazy to reverse the order. I'm sure a news story will be posted somewhere shortly.

Delany: "Some of the best decisions are not acting.”
35 minutes ago via TweetDeck
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I feel like I'm in a history class on conference expansion during the last 30 years ...
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Big Ten lunch links - http://tinyurl.com/239rxgf
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about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck
Delany: "We're taking our time."
about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck
Delany: "If you think there will be any earth-shattering announcements on June 6, I don't think you'll get them." June 6 presidents' meeting
about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck
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about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck
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